WCR This Week

Smith presents pope with copy of English Missal

L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO | SERVIZIO FOTOGRAFICO

Archbishop Richard Smith presents the new Canadian English version of the Roman Missal to Pope Benedict in Rome Nov. 7.

November 14, 2011

CANADIAN CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS

Vatican City – Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith has presented Pope Benedict with a specially bound edition of the first printed copy of the revised Canadian English-language edition of the Roman Missal.

At the private audience Nov. 7, the archbishop also gave the pope a copy of the book marking the opening earlier this year of the new building housing St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton.

Smith made the presentations in his capacity as president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was accompanied at the audience by CCCB vice-president Archbishop-elect Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, Quebec, and the conference's general secretary, Msgr. Patrick Powers.

During the audience, Pope Benedict blessed a number of rosaries which the prelates will bring back to Canada as gifts.

The revised CCCB English-language edition of the Missal was officially launched on Oct. 17 during the CCCB plenary assembly in Cornwall, Ont.

On that occasion, the second printed copy of the Missal was presented to the Archbishop Pedro López Quintana, apostolic nuncio to Canada.

All English-language celebrations of the Mass following the Roman Rite in Canada are obliged to use the revised CCCB edition of the Missal as of the First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 27.

The same day, all Eucharistic celebrations across Canada using the Roman Rite are also required to follow the revised liturgical norms in the General Instruction of the third typical edition of the Roman Missal, as approved by the Holy See and the bishops of Canada, unless the celebration follows the "extraordinary form" of the Latin Mass from the 1962 Roman Missal.

During their audience with the pope, Smith, Durocher and Powers discussed major pastoral orientations and also the challenges facing the conference and the Church in Canada.

The CCCB delegation continues its visits in Rome with the major offices of the Holy See until Nov. 18.